National Project Management System Real Property Procedure on Commissioning

This procedure has been superseded by the Commissioning Standard (2015). To obtain a copy of this standard, please contact tpsgc.sngp-npms.pwgsc@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

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1. Effective Date

August 2012

2. Cancellation(s)

Not applicable

3. Authority

This policy-related document is issued under the authority of the Director General, Professional and Technical Service Management (PTSM) Sector, Real Property Branch (RPB), Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC).

4. Context

This document is written in support of the RPB Commissioning Policy issued in May 2011.

Implementation of this procedure will ensure that all projects managed by PSPC and/or its service providers are assessed for commissioning, and that commissioning, if required, is carried out in accordance with the RPB Commissioning Policy.

5. Scope

This document applies to built works managed by RPB and/or its service providers. This includes new construction, projects managed under public-private partnerships, renovations, fit-up work in Crown-owned and leased premises, and engineering assets such as bridges, dams, and wharfs. It also applies to new build-to-lease buildings and major leased-building renovations under the custodianship of RPB.

6. Purpose

The RPB Commissioning Policy states, “All built works managed by RPB and/or its service providers shall be assessed for applicability of commissioning. Such assessments shall take into account the size, scope and complexity of the project.”

The purpose of this document is to provide a standard procedure for applying the RPB Commissioning Policy to all RPB projects managed by PSPC and/or its service providers.

7. Procedure Details

The application of the RPB Commissioning Policy shall be assessed using the following procedure:

Real Property Branch-Managed Projects

Project Review Advisory Committees will be completed near the end of the Planning Phase of the project delivery stage of the National Project Management System and prior to project management plan approval (see Figure 1). Advice and recommendations received from the Project Review Advisory Committees will be recorded and supplied to the project team and reviewed by the approval body at the effective project approval control point.

  1. The Project Leader identifies commissioning technical performance expectations and commissioning functional requirements in the National Project Management System (NPMS) Analysis Phase, during preparation of the investment analysis report (IAR)
  2. If a client decides not to follow the RPB Commissioning Policy for any project, the RPB Project Manager must inform the client about the provisions of the Treasury Board Policy on the Management of Projects, and of the risks of not commissioning the project in accordance with the PSPC Commissioning Manual and PSPC Commissioning Guidelines. The client must confirm acceptance of these risks in writing, and RPB has the right to refuse to manage such projects
  3. The project receives preliminary project approval and is assigned to a Project Manager, in the NPMS Delivery Stage
  4. The Project Manager, in co-operation with the regional Commissioning Manager, carries out an assessment using Tables 1 and 2 below
  5. If commissioning is required, the Project Manager, in co-operation with the regional Commissioning Manager, determines the extent of commissioning
  6. If there is a disagreement between the Project Manager, the Commissioning Manager, or other stakeholders regarding the necessity for commissioning, the Regional Director shall make the final determination
  7. To determine the extent of commissioning, follow the PSPC Commissioning Manual and PSPC Commissioning Guidelines or acceptable commissioning standards such as Canadian Standards Association standards

The flowchart shown in Figure 1 illustrates the commissioning assessment process.

The flowchart and the tables given here do not cover every possible case. The Commissioning Manager and Project Manager will jointly determine the applicable extent of commissioning based on past experience, lessons learned, and acceptable risk.

Real Property Branch-Managed Projects with the Service Provider Managing the Commissioning Process

When the threshold of project cost exceeds the mandate of the service provider, the service provider shall assess all projects for applicability of commissioning and the extent of commissioning required and submit the assessment results to the RPB Project Manager. If there is disagreement between the RPB Project Manager and the service provider regarding the necessity for commissioning, the RPB Technical Authority shall make the final decision in consultation with the Commissioning Manager. If there is a disagreement, the Regional Director shall make the final determination.

The service provider shall provide a commissioning proposal for the project to the RPB Technical Authority for review and approval.

The service provider shall provide commissioning services in accordance with the RPB

Commissioning Policy and the Alternate Forms of Delivery (AFD) Management Handbook - Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Commissioning Projects Managed by PSPC in AFD Managed Buildings.

Projects Managed by Real Property Branch Service Providers

The service provider shall assess all projects for applicability of commissioning and the extent of commissioning required and submit the assessment results to the RPB Technical Authority.

Projects Managed Under Public-Private Partnership Agreements

The RPB Project Manager shall provide the Scope of Work for Commissioning in a public-private partnership contractual agreement. The private sector partner shall provide commissioning services in accordance with this contractual agreement.

Leased-Building Projects Managed by the Landlord

For build-to-lease buildings and major leased-building renovation projects, the RPB Project Manager shall provide the Scope of Work for Commissioning in the contractual agreement, and commissioning services shall be provided in accordance with this contractual agreement.

For leases, the Leasing Manager should identify the Scope of Work for Commissioning in the lease tender documents.

Table 1: Mandatory Commissioning
Note: If any of the items in this table apply, then commissioning is required.
Type of Project Potential Systems Affected / Occupancy Impact Recommendation
New buildings / engineering assets All building systems and equipment Perform commissioning for all systems and sub-systems identified in the design documents.
All special-purpose buildings All building systems and equipment Perform commissioning for all systems and sub-systems identified in the design documents.
All projects with estimated costs exceeding $2 million All base building systems Perform commissioning for all systems and sub-systems identified in the design documents.
All projects with floor area exceeding 10,000 square metres Base building systems (if applicable) Perform commissioning for all systems and sub-systems identified in the design documents.
Replacement/upgrade of mechanical and electrical equipment Mechanical / electrical equipment, base building systems (if impacted) Perform commissioning for all systems and sub-systems being replaced, and any other systems that are impacted.
Life-safety equipment replacement or upgrade New life-safety equipment, upgrades to existing equipment Perform commissioning on all life-safety equipment being replaced / added, and on other life-safety equipment that is impacted.
Major upgrades to heritage buildings New equipment, upgrades, other heritage features impacted Perform commissioning on new equipment, upgrades, and other heritage features impacted.
Upgrades to meet accessibility requirements New equipment, upgrades Perform commissioning on new equipment and upgrades.
New Energy Management and Control System (EMCS) installation HVAC, IAQ, interaction with lighting systems, energy management, operator training Perform commissioning for all EMCS components and systems / sub-systems affected by the new EMCS.
New fire alarm system Fire alarm, stairwell pressurization, sprinkler / standpipe / fire pumps, pre-action systems, training Perform commissioning for all systems and sub-systems identified in the design documents.
Table 2: Assessment of Commissioning Requirements
Type of Project Potential Systems Affected / Occupancy Impact Recommendation
Office furniture upgrade Modular furniture power cabling Commissioning is generally not required.
New carpets HVAC (for off-gassing purposes only) Commissioning is generally not required.
New roof membrane Roof-mounted electrical / mechanical equipment Commissioning is generally not required, unless sensitive equipment on rooftop.
Exterior wall repairs None Commissioning may not be required.
Interior painting None Commissioning is generally not required.
Window replacement None Commissioning is generally not required.

Figure 1: Applicability of Commissioning

A flowchart used to determine whether or not commissioning is required for a given project. See link below to Table 2 for long description.

See Table 2: Assessment of Commissioning Requirements

8. Monitoring

The RPB Commissioning Policy states, “The overall effectiveness of this policy will be monitored through audits, conducted by national/regional commissioning experts, on randomly selected projects.”

The objectives of this monitoring are two-fold:

  1. To determine whether the randomly selected projects require commissioning, based on the criteria listed in Tables 1 and 2
  2. To determine whether commissioning, if required, has actually been carried out

Monitoring will be carried out using the following procedure:

Real Property Branch-Managed Projects

  1. The regional Commissioning Manager shall produce an audit report each fiscal year by randomly selecting 5 percent of the projects completed in the fiscal year. This report shall indicate the following:
    • Percentage of the total projects in the regions that were assessed for commissioning
    • Percentage of the total projects in the regions that were commissioned
    • Whether the selected projects were properly commissioned in accordance with the PSPC Commissioning Manual and the PSPC Commissioning Guidelines
  2. The regional Commissioning Manager shall submit annual audit reports to the Regional Director, the Regional Director General (DG), the DG of PTSM, and the Director of the Advisory and Practices (Professional Services) Directorate by April 30 of each yea.

Note that the Project Manager must ensure that projects are assessed for commissioning and that commissioning is carried out if it is required. If the regional Commissioning Manager is involved in performing commissioning, he or she cannot audit his or her own work.

Projects Managed by Real Property Branch Service Providers and Real Property Branch-Managed Projects with the Service Provider Managing the Commissioning Process.

  1. The RPB Technical Authority, in consultation with the RPB Commissioning Manager, shall randomly select 5 percent of the projects managed by the RPB service provider in each fiscal year for audit to determine the applicability of the RPB Commissioning Policy and to determine whether commissioning was carried out in accordance with the AFD Management Handbook—Standard Operating Procedures for Commissioning Projects Managed by PSPC in AFD Managed Buildings
  2. The RPB Technical Authority shall submit annual audit reports to the Regional DG, the DG of Alternative Forms of Delivery (AFD), the DG of PTSM, and the Director of Advisory and Practices (Professional Services) by April 30 of each year

Projects Managed Under Public-Private Partnership Agreements

  1. The regional PSPC Commissioning Manager shall randomly select 5 percent of the projects under the PPP agreement to assess whether commissioning has been carried out in accordance with the contractual agreement
  2. The regional PSPC Commissioning Manager shall submit annual audit reports to the Regional DG, the DG of PTSM, and the Director of Advisory and Practices (Professional Services) by April 30 of each year

Leased-Building Projects Managed by the Landlord

  1. For build-to-lease buildings and major leased-building renovation projects, the regional PSPC Commissioning Manager shall randomly select 5 percent of the projects to assess whether commissioning has been carried out in accordance with the contractual agreement
  2. The regional PSPC Commissioning Manager shall submit annual audit reports to the Regional DG, the DG of PTSM, and the Director of Advisory and Practices (Professional Services) by April 30 of each year

9. Responsibilities

Director General, Professional and Technical Service Management, and Director, Advisory and Practices (Professional Services)

Responsible for:

National Manager, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Advisory and Practices (Professional Services)

Responsible for:

Regional Directors General and Regional Directors

Responsible for:

Project Leaders, Directors, and Asset Managers

Responsible for:

Project Managers

Responsible for:

Commissioning Manager

Responsible for:

Technical Authority

Responsible for:

10. References

11. Enquiries

Please direct enquiries about this procedure to:

National Manager, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
Advisory and Practices (Professional Services) Directorate
Professional and Technical Service Management Sector
Real Property Branch
Public Services and Procurement Canada

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